Carrie Underwood Sings “Because He Lives” in Tearful Farewell to Brett James
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When the lights dimmed, a hush swept across the hall. From the shadows, Carrie Underwood stepped into the spotlight, her face etched with sorrow but anchored in strength. Clutching the microphone with both hands, she paused. The silence grew thick, wrapping the room in reverence. Then, with a deep breath, her voice rose — pure, trembling, and resolute.
The hymn was familiar. “Because He Lives.” Yet in Carrie’s voice, on this night, it became something more. It was not performance, but prayer. Not showmanship, but surrender. A farewell hymn for her dear friend, Brett James, the Grammy-winning songwriter whose sudden death in a North Carolina plane crash at the age of 57 had left Nashville, and the nation, in mourning.
A Hymn of Faith
From the first line, Carrie’s voice carried more than melody. It carried memory. It carried gratitude. It carried the ache of a city grieving one of its most trusted songwriters.
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow…” she sang, each note fragile yet unbreakable. Every lyric seemed to transform into a promise — that though Brett was gone, the faith he poured into his songs would endure.
The audience sat hushed. Tears glistened in the dim light. Hands clasped together. Some bowed their heads in prayer. Others closed their eyes, letting Carrie’s voice become their own farewell.
The Man Behind the Words
For many, Brett James’ name lived behind the curtain. But his words, his melodies, lived everywhere. He penned 27 No. 1 singles, among them:
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Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel”
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Martina McBride’s “Blessed”
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Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker’s “When the Sun Goes Down”
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Jason Aldean’s “The Truth”
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Chris Young’s “The Man I Want to Be”
His pen even reached beyond country, giving voice to Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, and the Backstreet Boys. Twice named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year, Brett James helped sell over 110 million records worldwide.
But his greatest pride was not in the charts. It was in his family, his faith, and the quiet knowledge that songs could carry people through the hardest seasons of their lives.
Grief Turned to Reverence
Carrie’s decision to sing “Because He Lives” was no accident. It was a hymn of resurrection, of assurance, of hope beyond grief. It mirrored Brett’s own belief that songs could heal, that music could point beyond the pain of the moment toward something eternal.
As her voice climbed into the chorus, the room seemed to lift with her:
“Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives…”
The sound was both fragile and mighty, sorrowful yet resolute — grief transformed into reverence.
Silence That Spoke Volumes
When the final words faded into stillness, no one moved. No applause followed. The silence itself felt sacred, heavy with love for the man whose words had once given so much to the world.
In that stillness, Brett James’ life was honored in the way he would have wanted — through music, through faith, through a song sung not to an audience, but as a prayer.
A Legacy That Lives On
For Carrie Underwood, for Vince Gill, for George Strait, Martina McBride, Alan Jackson, and the countless others who have sung Brett’s words, the loss is personal. Yet in Nashville, there is comfort in knowing that his voice endures — not in his own singing, but in the millions of voices that will continue to sing the songs he gave them.
Carrie Underwood’s hymn was not only a farewell. It was a promise. A reminder that, even in the valley of loss, life is worth the living — because the music remains, and because the faith Brett lived by continues to shine through every lyric he left behind.